Shadow And The Heart

by DR-Fluffy

Chapter 6: Kites!

Jazmin awoke on a bed that was too big for her size, yet not soft enough. Not that she was complaining. It was a marvelous bed with sheets that rivaled the best her father could buy, but that was to be expected when staying in the personal castle of a princess. Though the Friendship Castle was far more sparsely decorated than the Cantlerlot palace, and it lacked a certain elegance that could only be gain from a city like Canterlot.

Jazmin pulled her sheets closer and enjoyed the feeling of silk against her fur. She had set her clock to wake her an hour earlier then the others, so she could afford to linger in bed without fear of the good bathroom getting stolen.

“Pony!”

Jazmin snapped open her eyes and her blissful feeling faded quickly. She leaned over the edge of the bed to confirm that she wasn’t hearing things. Sadly she was not, staring up at her with sapphire eyes was Magma. Jazmin’s eyes slowly grew wide as she spotted her Pommel Scarf in the hands of that overgrown lizard, one end hanging out of his mouth. She nearly fell out of bed as she jolted for the scarf, but Magma showed surprising reflexes and jumped back out of her reach. “You drop that right now!”

Despite her demanding tone, Magma only giggled with a grin on his face. Keeping the scarf in his mouth, Magma ran to the other side of the room on all fours. “I’m not going to chase you,” Jazmin said. Only to leap off the bed a moment later in a failed tackle that Magma easily slipped away from. Her hair was an unkempt mess, sleep still clung to her eyes, so as far as she was concerned she couldn’t be held responsible for what she was going to do. “Fine, if you want me to chase you, I will!”

With a squeal of delight, Magma raced from one side of the room to the next, jumping off the desk, knocking over shelves, and always managing to stay just out of hoof reach. Jazmin briefly wondered if Magma’s agility was from his dragons heritage or if this was normal for all kids his age. But if she was being honest with herself, she was holding back. She was three times his size and could probably end this quickly if she really wanted to, but doing so may harm the lizard. That was also why she wasn’t using her magic, it was far too early for her to properly concentrate and casting blindly was dangerous, far too dangerous even for a Pommel Scarf.

Magma leaped onto her bed and bounced his way onto her dresser, knocking off a few books in the prosses. He stopped there and watched her, waiting to see which way she would go so he could run the other way. Jazmin fainted to the left long enough to get Magma to go where she wanted, and with her hooves outstretched, caught him midair. She landed on her back with the squirming hatchling in her hooves. Holding him firm with one hoof, she quickly snatched away the scarf while he focused on trying to get free.

She let him go a moment later and he bolted across the room, his smile as wide as ever, only to realize he had lost the scarf. He tried running back over and grabbing the scarf, but simply holding it in the air was enough to keep his little claws off of it. “Play, play,” he said pitifully, as his eyes grew watery.

Jazmin looked to what was left of her Pommel Scarf: it was ripped from both claws and teeth, stained with disgusting drool, and she could already see where the edges were unraveling. With a sigh, she tossed the scarf back to him. “This is why I didn’t bring the good collection with me,” she muttered. “Now take it and stay out of my room.”

She turned to gather her things for a bath and hoped this was not a sign of a bad day.

***

Jazmin stood in the field behind the castle, along with the rest of the kids in her class, as they watched Starlight float an unmarked crate in front of them. She set the crate down and smiled to the class. “So, I’m sure all of you are wondering why we’re outside instead of in class.” She waited, eagerly looking for someone to actually guess, but only got yawns and sleepy stares in return. As if expecting such a result she carried on all the more chipper. “Well, I’ve been talking with Twilight and we’re in agreement that all of you need more team building exercises! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

Ballpoint raised a hoof and asked, “We’re missing math for this?”

“Shut it, dork,” quipped Golden Apple. “We’re missing math for this.”

Starlight opened the crate and took out several pre-packed and ready to assemble kite packs. “So for our first team building exercise, we will be flying kites!” Jazmin hadn’t flown a kite since she was a foal and the entire idea seem rather juvenile to her, but she would admit that it was a nice change of pace from being stuck in the stuffy room all day. “Now I know all of you are ready to have some fun, but first everyone is going to be forming groups of two.”

Without hesitation, Witherleaf shouted, “I call Flurry!” Considering how those two had been glued to each other’s side since Flurry’s arrival she wasn’t too surprised, nor was Starlight for that matter.

“Hold on, groups will be decided by drawing names.”

Jazmin suddenly missed the stuffy room. Starlight stepped up to Witherleaf and held out a small pouch for her. Reaching inside, Witherleaf reluctantly drew out a slip of paper. She read the name and her face fell. “Miss Starlight, I don’t want to be teamed up with Golden Apple!”

“Yes! Score!”

Everyone ignored Golden. “If he does anything inappropriate just let me know and I will tell his mother,” said Starlight.

“Oh, Sweet Celestia no!” Golden’s outburst only seemed to draw a smile from Witherleaf, and from Jazmin’s own experience with the mare, smiling was never a good sign.

“Come on buddy,” Witherleaf said in an upbeat tone as she walked over to the stallion. “Let’s go work on our kite.” Golden held an unsure expression but followed along.

Starlight held out the bag for Flurry Heart who quickly took a name. “Ballpoint,” she read aloud.

Ballpoint trotted over. “Could have been worse, not that it could have been better,” he muttered. Strangely Jazmin felt a spike of magic around Flurry that just as quickly dissipated. Flurry took a few deep breaths before following along with her partner.

As Starlight stepped up to Jazmin, she realized how slim her options were. There was the overbearing Livewire on her left and the psychotic Shade Cloud on her right, no matter which one she was teamed up with she was sure to have a headache after this. When She moved to take a name from the pouch, Starlight pulled back her hoof and gave Jazmin an option she didn’t realize she had nor did she want.

“Seeing as there are only three of you left, the rest of you will form the last group.”

It was true, no matter how much she tried to deny it: today was a terrible day. Shade Cloud just looked on with her gloomy face, she looked about how Jazmin felt, while Livewire seemed to be on the verge of doing a happy dance.

“Before everyone begins,” said Starlight. “I have two things to add. The first, no magic, hooves and wings only! The second, the first team to get their kite in the air gets a free dessert from Sugarcube Corner on me, and remember to have fun!”

Golden set out the supplies for the kite on the grass. Going by the picture on the front of the packet the end result would look like a blue diamond-shaped kite with tassels hanging off the end. It shouldn’t take them too long to complete and get into the air, that is if his partner would stop laying on her back and help. “Are ya forgettin’ that we’re supposed to be a team on this?” Asked Golden.

Witherleaf leaned her head back and looked at Golden from her spot on the ground. “What are you talking about, I am helping? Teams are made up of those who give orders and those who carry them out, and seeing as I’m clearly the leader here, that leaves you to assemble the kite.”

“And where did ya hear that from?”

“My mom of course, well… I mean she didn’t say that, but she bosses everyone around enough that I kind of figured it out. I guess leadership just runs in my blood.”

Golden set the instructions to the side as he turned to stare down on Witherleaf. He wanted to win. He only got so much money from chores every week and most of those went to keeping his marefriends happy, so he would take any opportunity for free dessert that he could. “And do ya think Starlight would agree with ya if I told her?” He said with a smug expression. He figured she was going to use the threat of his mother against him if he acts ‘inappropriate,’ not that he would do something like that. He was a perfect gentlecolt, but he could also play that game.

Witherleaf blinked, her face deadpan. Slowly she rose into a sitting position and closed her eyes. When she opened them again she looked to be on the verge of tears. “It was the way he looked at me,” Witherleaf spoke, but clearly not to Golden. “I could feel him dressing me with his eyes. It just felt so… inappropriate. I just… I don’t know if I can go on like this?”

Golden let his head fall. It was probably his own fault for thinking he could go tit-for-tat with Witherleaf. “Fine, ya win! I’ll do the work myself.”

“See, now you’re being a team player,” Witherleaf said, and laid back down.

Flurry Heart read over the instructions once more. The design was a simplistic one, just a box-shaped kite. It shouldn’t have been that difficult to put together, yet somehow she and Ballpoint were left staring at what was supposed to be a kite, but instead looked more akin to a reject decoration from one of Pinkie Pie’s parties. “You did something wrong,” accused Ballpoint.

“Me! I was reading the directions, you were the one who couldn’t follow simple orders.”

Ballpoint grumbled under his breath as he began to disassemble the kite. “Let’s not waste time talking about your mistake, and just fix this.”

Twelve feet. That was how far Flurry could throw him with her magic, thirteen if the wind was on her side. She took a few deep breaths to let the impulse pass, crushing every insolent voice was not the way of royalty, no matter how much easier it would be. “If you think you can do better then you read the directions and I’ll put it together,” she said.

After taking out the last of the metal rods, Ballpoint flattened down the fabric. “Very well,” he said and took the paper from Flurry. “Just try to follow along."

It took them ten minutes to complete their latest attempt at rejected art. Flurry was aware that something was wrong within the first few directions but kept quiet about it. More to prove her point that she did nothing wrong, yet now she was starting to wonder if the directions were at fault.

“Now what did you do wrong?” Flurry looked at Ballpoint and stared, her sharp glare boring into him. “Maybe we need a new approach,” he corrected.

“I’m open to suggestions.”

“I don’t suppose we can just use magic?”

Flurry glanced across the grassy field to where Starlight was occupied with putting together her own kite and already had made far more progress then the two of them. “I won’t tell if you don’t.” Flurry offered.

“Deal!”

Jazmin looked through the packing the kite had came in, to ensure they had not forgotten anything, as Shade Cloud put the final touches on it. Livewire, on the other hoof, had been jumping back and forth between them asking how she can help, but there wasn’t enough work for the three of them to begin with. She and Shade Cloud each did their part to put the kite together while speaking to each other only when necessary, yet Livewire was already on her nerves. She never thought she would see the day when she preferred the company of Shade Cloud.

“So are you sure there’s nothing I can help with?” Livewire asked again.

Jazmin took out the bundle of string and pushed the roll into Livewire’s grasp. “Unwind that—quietly—we’ll need it soon.”

Livewire eagerly went to work and unwound the string hooffuls at a time. “Umm, Jazmin, can I ask you a question?” asked Livewire as she worked.

Not even a full minute. “Is the answer to that question paramount to you completing your job?”

Livewire looked to the string in her hooves then to Jazmin. “Yes, it is,”

“Do you even know what paramount means?” Added Shade Cloud.

“Please let me ask a question!”

“Fine, just get it over with,” said Jazmin.

“You know how last week when we were in the City Hall and you started going on about how unicorns are superior, is that really what you think?”

For a moment Jazmin felt the need to point out that question had nothing to do with her job, but that would involve speaking with her more than necessary. “I have been instructed by my parents that I am not to share my opinion on the superiority of the unicorn race, ignorance is bliss so they say.”

With a raised eyebrow from a single visible eye, Shade asked, “Your parents said that… exactly?”

“I may be paraphrasing a bit,” Jazmin explained. “But seeing as you are asking about it, I see no reason I can’t speak on it. Yes, that is what I think, what about it?”

“So, I guess that means you only like unicorns?” Asked Livewire, her ears folding back.

Jazmin could only roll her eyes at such naïve logic. Perhaps it was these simple misunderstandings why her parents wanted her to refrain from speaking about it. “I am not so narrow-minded as to hate someone for simply not being born a unicorn. I simply acknowledge the superiority of unicorns.”

“In that case would you… um, theoretically speaking, be willing to befriend an Earthen?”

Again Jazmin found herself rolling her eyes at Livewire’s obvious ploy, but played along nonetheless. “Theoretically, yes I would.” Livewire’s face brightened and she happily finished up her work. Jazmin half expected for the mare to pester her with more foolish questions, but she seemed content with that for now. And Strangely enough, Jazmin didn’t feel annoyed at Livewires questions. It was rare for someone to hear her view on unicorns and not turn up their nose and try to argue with her.

At the sound of barely contend laughter, Jazmin slowly looked over to Shade Cloud as she fiddled with the kite. “What’s so funny?”

Shade locked eyes with her, a grin on her face. “I was just wondering: If you think Unicorns are so great, then why are you always kissing the flank of royalty?”

Jazmin mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to form a proper response. “I don’t kiss anyone’s flank, you uncouth charlatan! There are certain benefits to having friends in the right places, I am simply being practical and trying to secure those connections.” Jazmin could feel a heat rise in her as Shade’s grin only grew wider.

“And you’re saying that doesn’t make you a flank kisser?”

Jazmin took a step closer to the mare until only the kite was separating them. “Yes, that is what I’m saying. And you know what else, I can’t stand you! The way you skulk around and act like you’re just too cool for everyone else, but you’re nothing but a sad pathetic loser who will be stuck in this city for the rest of your life!”

Livewire took a spot to the side of the two glaring mares as she did her best to calm them down, “Come on, why don’t we get back to working on the kite. I’ve got the string all ready.”

“Shut up!” They both yelled, causing Livewire to cower away.

Shade Cloud brushed away the hair from her face and stared with a deadpan expression. “Since we’re being honest here, you are fake. Your mannerisms, that snobby accent of yours, all fake. You put on whatever charade you need to just so you can stare down your nose at everyone else, but unlike the other ponies in our class, they don’t try to be something they’re not. That Nickname Witherleaf calls you, Two-Face was it, rather fitting if you think about it. That’s the only time your real personality seeps out from your facade.”

“Don’t call me that!”

“Call you what… Two-face?”

Livewire jumped in between the two of them. “That’s enough!” She said with her hooves outstretched in front of the two mares.

Crack

Slowly the three of them looked down to see Livewire hooves going through the kite. The energy in the air deflated as they realized what this meant. Finally, Shade asked the question they were all thinking, “Who’s going to tell Starlight?”

As the first kite rose into the air, from Golden Apple and Witherleaf’s group, Starlight moved away from her own kite to check on the progress of the kids. As fun as this had been, they would need to start wrapping things up soon, she still had a full day of lesson plans to get everyone through. The kite from Flurry’s team was in the air next, which surprised Starlight. She expected Flurry to win this easily; perhaps she was simply having an off day.

As Flurry’s kite rose to its apex in the sky she heard a yell from Golden Apple, “The sky is mine now, loser!” His kite veered to the side and slammed into the other.

Ballpoint took the rains from Flurry with a competitive look in his eyes. “You think your flawed piece of fabric can beat our aerodynamically superior kite. You will fail, just like with your pathetic attempt to steal my element.”

Starlight could only shake her head as the two kites began to ram into one another. But as she stood there she realized there were only two kites in the sky. She looked around the field until she spotted the other three huddled together and bickering. They didn’t notice as Starlight trotted up behind them, though their voices was too hushed for Starlight to make anything out. With a loud clearing of her throat, the three mares turned to face her.

“Ladies, would you like to tell me how your kite is coming along.”

Jazmin nudged Shade Cloud as if to prod her to speak. Shade Cloud however simply returned the gesture. It was Raspberry Pie who trotted past the others and placed the broken kite in front of Starlight. “What happened?” Starlight inquired. Jazmin and Shade Cloud were avoiding eye contact and Raspberry ears were laid back in guilt. “Raspberry, tell me the truth. What happened.”

“Um…that is,” Raspberry mumbled. She looked over to the mares at her side, both of whom were watching with bated breaths. “It was an accident. I wasn’t watching where I was going and tripped on it. I just wanted to be helpful, but I only ended up getting in the way.”

Jazmin and Shade Cloud both shared a wide-eyed look and, as if being of one mind, shook their heads. “Yes, that’s exactly what happened.”

Starlight didn’t need to be an expert to know she wasn’t being told the whole truth, but seeing as they were getting along so well she chose not to pursue it. “Accidents happen, Raspberry, you don’t need to blame yourself. Tell you what, after class, I’ll take everyone out for dessert, how about that?”

Raspberry’s face beamed. “Really?”

Starlight gave a happy nod. “Now I just need to stop the others from fighting and we can head back inside.” Starlight looked over her shoulder to where the two kites were wrapped around each other, held aloft by magic and pure stubborn will.

As Starlight trotted away both Jazmin and Shade Cloud turned on Livewire. “Why did you cover for us?” Asked Jazmin.

“Yeah, you could have got us in serious trouble if you wanted.” Said Shade.

Livewire smiled at them with far more energy than a moment ago. “That would have been mean, and besides are were a team right?”

“I suppose we are,” said Jazmin. She considered herself big enough to admit that Livewire saved her. She could only imagine the ways in which her mother would ground her, thoughts of generic manecare products alone made her shiver.

“So since we are a team, we should hang out.”

“No,” both Jazmin and Shade said as one. Though Livewire had saved her that did not entitle her to any special treatment. She turned away along with Shade Cloud, who stopped to say one more thing.

“If you get any funny ideas about changing your mind and telling Starlight the truth, remember that we can also tell her that you lied.”

Livewire lost a shade of coloring. “But…but if you do that I’ll get kicked out of Ponyville and have to go live in Cloudsdale disguise as a pegasus. But I don’t want to learn to fly… I’m scared of heights!” The distance between Livewire and the mares slowly grew as they continued to walk away. “Seriously, don’t tell anyone!”